Artificial tooth mounting



y 1932 R. c. COOLEY 1,860,806

ARTIFICIAL TOOZIH MOUNTING Filed Aug. 12, 1929 Patented May 31, 1932 sates "ATENT FFEE RALPH G. COOLEY, F HOUSTON, TEXAS V ARTIFICIAL TOOTH MOUNTING Application filed August 12, 1929. Serial No. 385,257.

these, perhaps the most objectionable is the 3 lack of strength. The artificial teeth are usually so mounted that they are either weakened or improperly supported at the points of greatest strain, and are, therefore, unable to stand the strains to which they are normally subjected.v Conventional bridgework is alsoobjectionable because in order to replace one of a plurality of artificial teeth, the entire bridge structure must be removed. Furthermore, unnatural surfaces are presented which irritate the wearers tongue,

lips or cheeks, and prevent normal enunciation.

This invention has for oneof its objects the provision of a new and improved backing and artificial tooth having interlocking means whereby the latter is rigidly and strongly supported.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved backing and tooth embodying interlocking means so constructed that the tooth may be quickly and easily removed from the backing without disturbing V l' t t tthe connectlon of the baa {mg 0 he "to the shrunken gum, so that it occupies ment teeth.

' A further object is the provision of a structure of this type which will present surfaces so nearly resembling natural surfaces. as not to irritate any part of the wearers. mouth, nor to impair his enunciation.

Various other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,'which are illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation assembly view showingthe bridgewor k connected to abutment teeth, one of the artificial teeth being removed.

Figs. 2 to are detail views of the tooth.

Fig. 2 isa rearelevation; Fig. 3', a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 4, a front eleva-' tion; and Fig. 5 a perspective.

Figs. 6 to 9 are detail views of the backing corresponding to the detail views of the tooth.

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of the assembled tooth and backing; and Fig. 11 is.

a section on the line ll-l1 of Fig; 10.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the abutment teeth are indicated at 1, the roots thereof at 1a the gum therebetween at 2, the backing at 4, and the artificial tooth at 3. This View illustrates the mounting of two arti ficial teeth between two natural teeth ofthe front portion of the upper jaw. One of these artificial teeth has been removed to illustrate its section of the backing. It will be understood that any number of natural teeth maybe replaced by artificial teeth'incisors, cuspids, bicuspids or molars of either the upper or the lower jaw. -The backing 4 will comprise a single section orseveral sections,

depending upon the number of artificial teeth to be mounted. These sections, usually of gold, are ordinarily soldered together, and the end sections are then soldered to crowns,

inlays or other metal attachment carried by the abutment teeth to hold the bridgework rigidly in place.

Referring now to the tooth per se, which is illustrated by Figs. 2 to 5, it is preferably made of porcelain, and has an upper gingival surface 3a which is to be fitted by the dentist thereon an area equal to that formerly occupied by the original natural tooth. The artificial tooth closely resembles in appearance the natural tooth which it replaced, presenting normal surfaces inside, outside, and

4 ton ue and to the lips or the cheek, and permits normal enunciation. The-first inner wall 3?) of the tooth shown extends from the biting edge toward the gingival surface in a substantially vertical plane and has therein a substantially rectangular groove or pocket 30. That end wall of this pocket adjacent the biting edge of the tooth is inclined toward said biting edge; and the other end wall 30" of this pocket is substantially parallel with the wall 80'.

The second inner wall 3d of the tooth extends from its intersection with the first wall 36 toward the lingual and gingival surfaces of the tooth; the two walls being preferably at an obtuse angle to each other. I On the wall 3d is a substantially triangular dovetail 3d the apex of which is undercut as indicated at 3d. From an inspection of Figures 2 and 5 it will be seen that this conforms substantooth.

tially to the shape of the outline of the edges of the wall 3d, and that it is spaced inwardly from such edges around its entire margin. It will be observed that the wall of the dovetail 3d is in the same plane with the end wall 80 of the pocket 30.

The backing is illustrated by Figs. 6 to 9. It has a first wall 4?) to engage the first wall 3b of the tooth and a tongue on said wall shaped to snugly fit in the groove 80 of the The second wall 4d of the backing engages the second wall .303 of the tooth and is provided with a groove 4d shaped for the snug reception of the dovetail 8d of the tooth. The walls of the tooth and backing arepreferably coextensive, as shown.

,Theengagement of the interlocking parts of the tooth and backing is shown quite clearly by Figs. 10 and 11.

The widths of the pocket 30 and the dovei tail 8d are but slightly less than the widths of adjacent parts of the tooth so that relatively great supporting wallsare provided; but, asabove explained, a marginal space 86 is left around the projection to allow room for trimming without disturbing the looking members, to shape the tooth and backing for insertion in the proper place between adj acent teeth. The pocket 30 is shallow, ordinarily of a depth much less than its width;

7 and the tooth is, therefore, not weakened.

The backing and tooth arelocked together by two tongue-and-groove joints. The extension of the backing into the tooth, and'of the tooth into the backinginsure rigidity and strength.

The undercut portion of the tongue 40 of the backing affords a strong support for the lower end wall 30 of the tooth adjacent the biting edge; and the dovetail 3d of the tooth is strongly supported by the walls of the groove 4d of the backing; whereby the tooth isstrongly supported at the points of greatest strain.

The tooth need be moved but a short distance upwardly and inwardly-to mount it on backing. It therefore, may be easily rework construction comprising an inter changeable one-piece porcelain tooth having a gingival surface at one end and a biting edge at the other, said tooth being out out at its lingual side to form two walls intersecting each other at an obtuse angle, the first wall extending from such intersection toward the biting edge, and the second Wall extending from such intersection toward the lingual and gingival surfaces of the tooth, relatively wide interlocking means integral with andprojecting from said second wall and extending to and integral with said first wall, interlocking groove means carried by the said first wall and of a transverse dimension substantially equal to the width of the first interlocking means, and a metallic baoking having complementary walls and interlocking means shaped to snugly engage the corresponding elements of said tooth.

2. An individual porcelain saddle bridgework construction comprising an interchangeable one-piece porcelain tooth having a gingival surface at one end and a biting. edge at the other, said tooth being cut out at itslingual side to form two walls intersecting each other at an obtuse angle, the first wall extending from such intersection toward the biting edge, and the secondwall extending from such intersection towardthe vlingual and gingival surfaces of the tooth,

relatively wide interlocking means integral with andprojecting from said second wall, said projecting means conforming in shape substantially to the outline of the edges of said wall and spaced inwardly from said edges around the entire margin thereof, and 7 said projecting means extending to and being also integral with said first wall, interlocking groove means carried by the said first wall and of a transverse dimension substantially equal to the width of the first interlocking means, and a metallic backing having complementary walls and interlocking means shaped to snugly engage the corresponding elements of saidtooth.

3. An individual porcelain saddle bridge:

work construction comprising an interi:

changeable one-piece porcelain tooth having a gingival surface at one end and a biting edge at the other, said tooth being cut out at its lingual side to form two walls intersecting each other at an obtuse angle, the first wall extending from such intersection toward the biting edge, and the second wall extending from such intersection toward the lingual and gingival surfaces of the tooth, relatively wide interlocking means projecting from said second wall and extending to said first wall, said means being integral with both walls, interlocking groove means formed in said first wall and extending from its point of juncture with said projecting means toward the biting edge of the tooth, said groove means being of a transverse dimen sion substantially equal to the width of the first interlocking means, and a metallic backing having complementary walls and interlocking means shaped'to snugly engage the corresponding elements of said tooth.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto alfix my signature.

RALPH C. COOLEY. 

